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Tuesday, 24 September 2013

The latest global
broadband report, released on Saturday by the United Nations Broadband Commission, reveals an
astonishingly high global growth rate in mobile broadband subscriptions of some
30%. This is the highest growth rate of any ICT. In 2012, it exceeded fixed
broadband subscriptions by a ratio of 3:1 (up from 2:1 just two years ago).

Slovenia has dropped seven ranks in mobile broadband
penetration to 43rd place in the 2013 global broadband report. The decline is
in large part attributable to a slower adoption of mobile broadband technology
despite the growth of subscriptions in 2012 was still remarkably high at 26,6%.
Slovenia has lost two places and is 22nd amongst 28 EU member states. What is
worrying is the gap between the economies with highest mobile broadband
penetration that is three times higher than in Slovenia.

Friday, 20 September 2013

Telekom
Slovenije, one of Slovenia’s largest and most important business groups, has successfully
resisted privatisation since its separation from PTT Slovenije in 1995. Both
privatisation attempts were marked with strong opposition against
privatisation. For proponents of state ownership Telekom Slovenije has been a
strategic company and valuable state’s crown jewel that should remain
state-owned. This is the third time the government has considered selling its
stake in the incumbent telecommunications operator. The government seems to be determined
to carry out the privatisation of Telekom
Slovenije. However, its privatisation plan is likely to face strong opposition which
is already growing.

The
first privatisation attempt – a missed peak of the telecom hype

The
first attempt to privatise Telekom Slovenije was made between 1999 and 2001.
The government started
the privatisation process in 1999 and appointed members of the privatisation
commission. In 2000, it hired the consultancy firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC)
that prepared three privatisation models. Each envisaged a reduction of the
state’s stake in Telekom Slovenije below 50% either immediately or in a short
run of two to three years.

Thursday, 5 September 2013

The
Slovenian minister for electronic communications Jernej Pikalo has
recently announced that he is going to propose structural separation of Telekom
Slovenije. The announcement has come as a surprise as there had been no prior
consultation on the issue, neither within the government offices nor publicly with
other stakeholders. Besides, Telekom Slovenije has been on a list of state-owned
companies for sale and the Parliament has already approved the government’s
privatisation plan. The next step in privatisation was made at the end of
August when shareholders, the majority of them state-owned companies, signed an
agreement to sell a combined stake of 72,75% in Telekom Slovenije, which is
valued at EUR 710 million at current market price. The state’s stake is worth EUR
517 million.